APM can’t benefit from APC’s crisis – Analysts
Indications have emerged that the battle for the soul of Ogun State in the forthcoming general elections will be a keen one as the Allied Peoples Movement begins a late but forceful voters’ mobilisation in the state. Wiith the APM candidate going all out and enjoying the full suport of the incumbent Governor Ibikunle Amosun, the African Democratic Congress may have more hard nuts to crack despite the perceived popularity of its candidate, Prince Gboyega Isiaka, popularly called GNI.
The ruling All Progressives Congress is still battling with the internal crisis arising from the controversial primaries but this, according to political watchers, may not transalate into an upper hand for the APM, which could be called a breakaway aggrieved faction of the ruling party. For the Peoples Democratic Party, there is yet no clarity as to the bonafide candidates recognised by law to contest elections even as candidates under the two PDP factions continue to campaign
The ruling All Progressives Congress is still battling with the internal crisis arising from the controversial primaries but this, according to political watchers, may not transalate into an upper hand for the APM, which could be called a breakaway aggrieved faction of the ruling party. For the Peoples Democratic Party, there is yet no clarity as to the bonafide candidates recognised by law to contest elections even as candidates under the two PDP factions continue to campaign.
Though Amosun is still a card-carrying APC member, and is contesting for Senate under the party, he had publicly declared that he would never work for the APC governorship candidate in Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, stressing that he had chosen to support the aspiration of his candidate, Adekunle Akinlade of APM. He, however, promised to work for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The crises in both parties are God’s doing to show the people of Ogun State that ADC is the party that will deliver the state from long time bondage. As we speak, thousands of people are trooping into our party from both parties on a daily basis
The APM recently launched out in a big way in the state, as Amosun appears determined to show his political sagacity in the state, a move observers say may threaten ADC’s earlier chance of a smooth-sail to victory.
With the crisis in the APC and PDP, Isiaka, the governorship candidate of the ADC, was generally referred to as the Governor-in-waiting, in the state. But with the launch of the APM campaign and Amosun’s determination to keep his relevance, the turf is getting tougher and ADC may have to step up its game.
In the case of PDP, the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan had sacked Senator Buruji Kashamu as the Ogun State governorship candidate of the party. The development indicates that all is not well with the party, especially as Kashamu and his group may be heading for the Supreme Court.
The PDP had sued the Adedayo Bayo-led faction to the Court of Appeal to challenge an earlier judgment by a lower court.
Delivering the judgment last week, the three-man appeal panel, headed by Justice A.B. Bada, set aside the judgment of a Federal High Court in Abeokuta, which held that Kashamu and those who emerged from his faction were the PDP candidates for the 2019 general election.
According to the panel, which resolved the issues raised for determination in the appeal in favour of the PDP, the rights of the appellants to a fair hearing were breached, as they were not properly served when the case was heard at the lower court.
Justice H.S. Samani read the lead judgment, which also had the support of Justices Bada and N. Okoronkwo.
Pending further action by the Kashamu faction, with the court judgment, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, is the governorship candidate of the PDP in Ogun State.
Recall that the crisis rocking the PDP in Ogun State recently worsened as the two rivals for its governorship ticket, Kashamu, and Adebutu, launched separate campaigns for the 2019 election.
Kashamu, who is recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission, launched his campaign in Ijebu-Igbo town, while Adebutu, who the national headquarters of the party has handed the party’s flag to in the state, launched his own campaign in Abeokuta.
Kashamu’s supporters argued that the electoral body had affirmed his candidature. But Adebutu’s supporters said the presentation of the party flag to him by the national leadership of the party affirmed his candidature, adding that Kashamu and his supporters were only wasting their time and resources.
The two factions conducted parallel congresses, but INEC, acting on a court judgement, recognised Kashamu as the party’s candidate.
APC’S NARROW CHANCE
Political analysts have argued that APC will need special efforts to retain the seat of power as the ruling party in Ogun State in the coming governorship election.
Aside from the crisis emanating from the party’s primaries, where two candidates were separately produced, a situation that led to the defection of Amosun’s supporters to APM, the APC candidate, Abiodun, is currently enmeshed in an alleged certificate scandal that is capable of frustrating his chances.
ADC’s GNI as favoured candidate
Following the quagmire that both APC and PDP are currently facing in the state, analysts have said that the likely favoured party is the ADC, which has GNI as its governorship candidate.
According to findings, ADC is, on a daily basis, garnering strength ahead of the coming election where both APC and PDP are losing members to other political parties.
Another factor that is also believed will help ADC in the state is the support of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is believed to be the major backbone of the party.
Speaking on the development, the spokesperson of ADC in Ogun State, Abiola Odutola, told our correspondent that more supporters from APC and PDP were trooping into ADC on a daily basis, having discovered the party as the future of the state.
“The crises in both parties are God’s doing to show the people of Ogun State that ADC is the party that will deliver the state from long time bondage. As we speak, thousands of people are trooping into our party from both parties on a daily basis. Some three days ago, thousands of people from APC, PDP, and other parties in Odogbolu Local Government defected to ADC. They have seen the light and are acting fact. ADC currently is the leading party in Ogun State. Before now, people saw us as a Third Force, but now we are the First Force,” he said.
APM BRACES FOR SURPRISE
Though the focus seems to be on ADC as the credible alternative to APC and PDP options in the state, pundits have said that another party that may spring up a surprise in the coming governorship contest is APM, with Amosun’s preferred man, Akinlade, as its candidate.
Akinlade, who dumped the APC following the decision of the party’s National Working Committee to recognise Abiodun as its governorship candidate, kicked off his campaign last Thursday in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Although Amosun was not at the Thursday event, held at the MKO Abiola Stadium, the rally, which was also attended by other candidates who recently left the APC, recorded a huge turnout.
At the rally, Akinlade said he was sure of victory because of the kind of support he was enjoying from the people of the state.
He said the injustice done to him and others at the APC made them look for an alternative platform to realise their ambition.
According to him, having won the primary election of the APC two months ago, some unnamed persons who were out to hijack the governance of the state truncated his victory.
He claimed that the people’s plan was to rubbish Amosun’s achievements and legacies as he described the APM as a new movement that would fight for the people’s freedom and welfare.
“We shall continue the good works of the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. We have enough resources and they will be used for the welfare of the people. Ogun people have the right to choose their leaders without the input of anyone outside the state,” he declared at the
rally.
